On August 16, the Cochrane Lions Rodeo Grounds will be the venue for a four decade old rodeo that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable endeavors.
The Calgary First Responders Rodeo has been held every summer since the mid-1980s, and although it has Calgary in its name, this rodeo has been held in Cochrane going back several years.
First Responders of all stripes–from police, fire fighters, EMS, peace officers, correctional officers, and military members–will be competing in classic rodeo events like bareback riding, team roping, wild horse race, saddle bronc, break-a-way roping, wild cow milking, ladies barrel racing, chute dogging, bull riding, steer scramble (for both kids and adults) and mutton bustin.
“After over four decades, what started as the Calgary Police Rodeo has evolved into the Calgary First Responder’s Rodeo and has become a one-of-a-kind event, that brings together all first responders from police, fire, EMS, Peace Officers and Military along with their families and friends to gather for a truly unique experience,” the Calgary First Responders Rodeo website reads.
But this isn’t just a regular summertime rodeo. For many years the Rodeo has been raising hundreds of thousands of dollars–well over $200,000 collectively–for two charitable organizations: the Missing Children Society of Canada and the Children’s Cottage Society. Last year’s rodeo alone raised $30,000 for those organizations.
Aside from the actual rodeo itself, the First Responders Rodeo will also have a Kid’s Corral featuring the Butterfield Acres Petting Zoo, bouncy castles, and face painting. Like the Calgary Stampede, there will also be an eclectic assortment of food trucks and interesting eating options along the Midway. The First Responders Rodeo Barn Dance will cap the night off with performances from the Calgary Police country band, Frontline, and award-winning singer Foxx Worthee.
Gates open at the Lions Rodeo Grounds at 11:00 am, with the rodeo set to start at 1:00 pm and the Barn Dance at 7:30 pm. An all-day pass can be had for $25–which gets the holder all access to the grounds and the Barn Dance–and rodeo tickets for adults 18 and up can be bought for $20, while students are $10, and seniors (60 plus) are free.
